Prato is located in the heart of Tuscany, nearby Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Siena. Chief town of the homonymous province, it boasts a wide variety of landscapes despite the relatively small size: from the mountain settlements of the Bisenzio Valley (Vaiano, Vernio, Cantagallo) to Montemurlo – mostly on a plain ground – up to the hills of Montalbano, represented by the Medicean Poggio a Caiano and Carmignano.
The area of Prato has an extremely high population density: a fine grid road plan and the huge quantities of water running through the territory have fostered, since ancient times, many urban settlements. Today, Prato is the second urban centre of Tuscany for population density, and the third of central Italy.
The weather features hot and occasionally sultry summers, cold and relatively dry winters, and rainfalls (about 950 mms per year) concentrated mostly in autumn and spring.
Prato was originally an important Etruscan settlement. In the Middle Ages it became one of the very few free Communes thanks to the entrepreneurship of its aristocratic class and, above all, of its artisans: the city reached international praise and fame for its textile production ever since the XII century. The attention for traditions and history is still alive as of today, as the many annual events related to folklore well exemplify, especially during the Settembre Pratese: it is in these weeks that occurences such as San Michele Feist in Carmignano, the Siege of the Medicean Villa of Poggio a Caiano and the Display of the Sacred Girdle in Prato – preceded by the spectacular Historical Parade of 8th September – take place.
Among the monuments of historic and artistic relevance, many medieval architectures are noted for their aesthetic dual-colors of white and green due to the two valuable local marbles adopted, the Serpentino of Monteferrato and the Pietra alberese of Retaia. One such building is, inevitably, the Cathedral of Prato, built approximatively in the VI century and dedicated to Santo Stefano: here, not only are kept important Renaissance paintings (among which some by Filippo Lippi) but also the Sacred Girdle.
Another important monument is the Castello dell'Imperatore (the Emperor's Castle) which, combining Prato medieval architecture with classic and gothic designs, determined the merge between the old Borgo al Cornio and Pratum Castle with its group of fortifications and ditches, thus becoming the pounding heart of the city. Other interesting places to visit are the church of the Misericordia, the church of S. Agostino, the Municipal Palace and the Praetorian Palace.
Prato is also famous for the presence, outside the city walls and in the rest of the province, of splendid castles and villas. The Medicean Villa of Poggio a Caiano, where the annual historic revival of the Siege is held, and the Artimino Villa, now home to an archeologic Etrurian museum, are doubtlessly two of the most fascinating examples.
But to culture lovers, Prato can offer even more suggestions with its contemporary art works scattered througout the city centre, as well as with places like the Metastasio – the only stable prose theatre in Tuscany – and the modern “Luigi Pecci” Contemporary Art Centre, and with events hosted at the Fabbricone and the Politeama theatres.
Finally, in the province there are also particularly evocative museums which elegantly combine art and nature: for instance, the open-air Museum of Luicciana, in Val di Bisenzio, and the Museum-Park of Seano, in the hilly area of Montalbano. The environment is indeed another of the many treasures that Prato is willing to share with its tourists: in time, the generous amount of natural waters in this province has contributed to the formation of breathtaking landscapes and sceneries, as testified today by the natural reserve of Acquerino-Cantagallo at the Bisenzio springs, by the Calvana caves and by the big Cascine di Tavola park. Also, waiting for you to be discovered, are routes on the Monteferrato hills, mountain itineraries in the Alta Valle del Bisenzio and walks through the thick vegetation of Calvana.
Of course, the variety of landscapes has determined a food culture and production as much rich and flourishing. The sheep cheese of Calvana, the chestnuts of the high Valle del Bisenzio, the wines of Carmignano and the mortadella and the “cantucci” biscuits of Prato are only a few of the most renowned enogastronomic eccellencies.
At the base of Prato traditional cuisine: a simple cuisine, made with fresh and genuine ingredients, that in September you will be able to appreciate thanks to Degustando Prato.
Find out more about Prato local recipes.
